04道德经英译本85种-第31部分

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　　The　gods　of　the　land　do　not　inflict　injury　upon　the　inhabitants；　nor　do　those　which　belong　to　other　lands。

　　*　Compare　Lun　Yü；　Book　III；　chap。　VI：？##　etc。

　　The　Sage；　also；　inflicts　no　injury　on　his　subjects；　neither　he　nor　they　injure　each　other；　so　that　the　virtue　of　both　unites　and　converges　＇in　one　direction＇。

　　61

　　A　great　State　is　the　rendezvous　towards　which　the　whole　Empire　converges；　it　is　a　Mother　among　all　nations。　The　maternal　or　female　principle；　by　means　of　quiescence；　ever　vanquishes　＇the　inquietude　of＇　the　male　principle。

　　The　＇prince＇；　by　a　quiescent　policy；　makes　himself　humble。

　　It　is　for　this　reason　that　a　great　State；　by　bearing　itself　humbly　towards　a　small　State；　gains　its　allegiance；　and　a　small　State；　by　bearing　itself　humbly　towards　a　great　State；　may　obtain　possession　of　it。　Thus　an　inferior　＇State＇　can　either　be　taken　by　this　means；　or　can　itself　take　＇a　superior　one＇。

　　When　a　great　State　has　no　desire　beyond　protecting　all　its　subjects　equally；　and　a　small　State　has　no　desire　but　to　belong　to　＇the　greater　one＇　and　to　serve　its　Prince；　both　will　attain　to　the　positions　proper　to　each。　Those　who　aspire　to　greatness　must　humble　themselves。

　　62

　　TAO　is　the　deep　reservoir　of　all　things。　It　is　the　jewel　of　the　good　man；　the　guardian　of　the　bad。

　　Virtuous　words　are　marketable；　honourable　deeds　may　be　made　over　to　the　credit　of　others。　What　reason　is　there　for　casting　a　man　off　on　account　of　his　being　unvirtuous？

　　Wherefore；　though　the　Emperor　be　enthroned；　and　his　Ministers　appointed；　holding　their　jade　badges　of　office　in　front　of　them　and　riding　in　a　chariot　and　four：　it　would　be　better　to　remain　seated　in　quiet；　and　to　adopt；　or　enter　into；　this　TAO。

　　It　was　this　TAO　that　the　ancients　reverenced。　Why　do　not　＇the　rulers　of　to…day＇　strive　daily　to　acquire　it？　The　ancients　taking　the　national　sins　upon　themselves；　their　subjects　put　away　their　depravity；　and　therefore　they　were　honoured　by　the　whole　Empire。

　　*　See　Lun　Yü；　Book　XX；　chap。　1；　sec。　3。

　　63

　　＇The　Sage＇　acts　as　though　not　acting。　He　occupies　himself　as　though　having　nothing　to　do。　He　relishes　that　which　is　insipid梩he　TAO。

　　The　great；　the　small；　the　many；　the　few；　＇are　all　equal　in　his　sight＇。　He　recompenses　injury　with　kindness。　In　setting　about　difficult　tasks；　he　begins　with　what　is　easy。　In　performing　great　things；　he　begins　with　little　ones。

　　The　difficult　affairs　of　the　world　must　be　begun　from　what　is　easy　the　great　things　of　the　world　must　be　begun　from　what　is　small。　That　is　why　the　Sage　never　sets　about　great　undertakings　and　yet　is　able　to　accomplish　great　things。

　　Lightly　made　promises　lead　to　very　little　faith　＇being　placed　in　the　promiser＇。　He　to　whom　most　things　are　very　easy　at　first　will　certainly　find　many　difficulties　afterwards。　Thus　the　Sage　always　recognises　the　existence　of　difficulty；　and　by　this　means　he　never　experiences　any　difficulty　in　practice。

　　64

　　When　＇the　State＇　is　at　peace；　it　is　easily　supported；　or　maintained。　When　portents　have　not　yet　appeared；　it　is　easy　to　provide　for　＇future　contingencies＇。　When　a　thing　is　brittle；　it　is　easily　broken。　When　a　thing　is　minute；　it　is　easily　dispersed。

　　Act　before　pressing　necessity　for　action　arises。　Govern　well　the　State　before　anarchy　breaks　out。　A　tree　which　takes　the　arms　of　two　men　to　span　it；　grew　from　a　tiny　sprout。　A　tower　nine　storeys　high　was　raised　from　a　mound　of　earth。　A　journey　of　a　thousand　li　begins　with　a　foot's　pace。

　　He　who　acts；　fails；　he　who　grasps；　loses。　The　Sage　never　acts；　and　therefore　he　never　fails；　he　never　grasps；　and　therefore　he　never　loses。

　　The　people；　in　their　undertakings；　frequently　fail　when　they　are　on　the　verge　of　accomplishment。　The　cautious　act　towards　the　end　of　an　undertaking　as　at　the　commencement；　and　that　is　why　they　never　fail。

　　Thus　the　Sage　desires　as　though　he　desired　not；　and　attaches　no　value　to　things　difficult　of　acquisition。　He　learns　what　others　do　not　learn；　and　returns　to　what　is　passed　over　by　the　multitude。　By　this　means　he　promotes　the　spontaneous　development　of　all　things；　and　that　without　venturing　to　act。

　　65

　　Those　who；　in　ancient　times；　were　eminent　for　the　practice　of　TAO；　abstained　from　enlightening　the　people；　and　kept　them　simple。

　　The　difficulty　of　governing　the　people　arises　from　their　excess　of　shrewdness。　He　who　employs　shrewdness　in　governing　a　State；　becomes　a　robber　of　the　State；　he　who　does　not　do　so；　is　a　blessing　to　it。　The　man　who　knows　both　these　things　presents　an　ideal　of　good　government；　and　a　knowledge　of　this　ideal　constitutes　Sublime　Virtue。　Sublime　Virtue　is　deep　and　far…reaching；　and　is　in　direct　opposition　to　all　objects　of　desire；　thus　it　is　able　to　bring　about　universal　accordance　＇with　TAO＇。

　　66

　　The　fact　that　rivers　and　seas　are　able　to　be　rulers　over　all　water…courses　is　due　to　their　downward　tendency。　It　is　on　account　of　this　that　they　are　able　to　dominate　all　waters。　Therefore　the　Sage　who　desires　to　reign　over　the　people　must　be　retiring　in　demeanour。　Then；　when　the　Sage　occupies　a　high　position；　his　subjects　will　not　be　self…sufficient；　when　he　leads　the　van；　his　subjects　will　not　work　injury　＇by　disobedience　or　rebellion＇。　Thus　it　comes　that　the　whole　Empire　delights　to　render　him　his　dues；　and　that　without　reluctance；　in　that　he　never　strives；　therefore　the　Empire　is　unable　to　strive　with　him。

　　67

　　The　inhabitants　of　the　world　all　say　that　I　am　great　＇i。e。；　greatly　tolerant＇；　although　I　have　the　appearance　of　incompetence。　This　apparent　incompetence　is　the　result　of　my　very　greatness。　In　the　case　of　one　who　is　possessed　of　more　than　ordinary　ability；　he　sets　his　mind　constantly　upon　even　the　smallest　matters。

　　Now　there　are　three　things　which　I　regard　as　precious；　which　I　grasp　and　prize。

　　The　first　is　compassion；　the　second　is　frugality；　the　third　is　not　venturing　to　take　precedence　of　others梞odesty。

　　I　prize　compassion；　therefore　I　am　able　to　be　fearless。　I　prize　frugality；　therefore　I　am　able　to　be　liberal。　I　prize　modesty；　therefore　I　am　able　to　become　a　leader　of　men。　But　men　of　the　present　day　abandon　compassion；　yet　aim　at　valiancy；　they　abandon　frugality；　yet　aim　at　being　liberal；　they　abandon　modesty；　yet　aim　at　leadership。　This　is　death　to　them。

　　Now　when　one　is　compassionate　in　battle；　he　will　be　victorious。　When　one　is　compassionate　in　defending；　his　defences　will　be　strong。　When　Heaven　intends　to　deliver　men；　it　employs　compassion　to　protect　them。

　　68

　　Those　eminent　for　scholarly　virtues　are　not　fighting　men。　Those　eminent　in　war　do　not　lose　their　temper。　Those　eminent　for　victory　do　not　struggle。　Those　eminent　for　making　use　of　others　descend　to　their　level。

　　This　may　be　called　the　virtue　which　does　not　contend；　the　power　of　utilising　men；　the　utmost　limit　that　can　be　reached　in　equalling　Heaven　and　the　men　of　old。

　　69

　　There　was　a　saying　among　the　military　commanders　＇of　old＇：？I　do　not　venture　to　act　the　host梣。d。；　to　give　battle；　I　prefer　to　be　the　guest梩o　await　the　attack。　I　do　not　venture　to　advance　an　inch；　I　prefer　to　retire　a　foot。〃　This　may　be　called　operating　negatively；　and　appropriating　＇the　enemy's　possessions＇　without　infringing　propriety。　Were　this　policy　pursued；　there　would　be　no　withstanding　＇of　our　arms＇；　and　capture　might　be　effected　without　striking　a　blow。

　　There　is　no　greater　calamity　than　that　of　despising　an　enemy。　By　underestimating　the　enemy　one　brings　about　the　loss　of　＇the　three　things＇　I　prize。　Wherefore　when　opposing　forces　meet　in　battle；　it　is　the　compassionate　who　conquer。

　　70

　　My　words　are　easy　to　understand；　easy　to　put　in　practice；　＇yet＇　the　world　can　neither　understand　nor　practise　them。

　　My　words　have　an　underlying　intent；　my　actions　have　a　ruling　motive。　It　is　only　ignorance　that　causes　men　not　to　understand　my　doctrine。

　　Those　who　understand　me　are　few；　those　who　copy　me　are　worthy。　Wherefore　the　Sage　dresses　in　coarse　robes　while　hiding　a　jewel　in　his　breast。

　　71

　　Those　who　understand　＇the　TAO＇　are　up　conscious　of　their　upward　progress。　Those　who　count　their　ignorance　as　knowledge；　are　diseased。　It　is　only　those　who　treat　themselves　as　sick　who　are　therefore　free　from　disease。　The　Sage；　who　is　not　diseased；　treats　himself　as　though　he　were；　wherefore　his　disease　becomes　no　disease　at　all。

　　72

　　When　the　people　do　not　stand　in　awe　of　severe　enactments；　great　visitations　will　befal　＇the　State＇。

　　When　＇a　man＇　does　not　behave　indecorously　within　doors；　he　will　not　inspire　disgust　in　others。　It　is　only　when　＇the　prince＇　does　not　inspire　disgust　that　＇his　subjects＇　will　submit　to　him　without　reluctance。

　　Wherefore　is　it　that　the　Sage；　though　possessed　of　intuitive　knowledge；　yet　makes　no　self…display；　respects；　but　does　not　exalt　himself；　thus　adopting　the　one　course　and　avoiding　the　other。

　　73

　　When　bravery　is　pushed　to　rashness；　a　man　will　incur　a　violent　death。　When　courage　is　tempered　by　caution；　he　will　preserve　his　life。

　　These　two　conditions　result；　the　one　in　benefit；　the　other　in　injury。　Who　knows　the　cause　of　Heaven's　animosity　＇to　either＇？　Thus　it　is　that　even　the　Sage　here　sees　a　difficulty。

　　The　TAO　of　Heaven　never　strives；　yet　excels　in　victory；　it　speaks　not；　yet　excels　in　responding　＇to　desert＇；　it　beckons　not；　yet　＇things＇　come　to　it　of　their　own　accord；　it　lies　concealed；　yet　excels　in　organising。　The　net　of　Heaven　extends　everywhere。　Its　meshes　are　wide；　but　nothing　ever　escapes　it。

　　74

　　If　people　do　not　fear　death　why　attempt　to　frighten　them　by　capital　punishment？

　　Supposing　the　people　are　made　constantly　afraid　of　death；　so　that　when　they　commit　unlawful　acts　I　arrest　them　and　have　them　killed；　who　will　dare　＇afterwards　to　misbehave＇？　For　then　there　will　always　be　yiu…sze；　or　civil　magistrates；　to　execute　them。　Now　the　execution　of　men　on　behalf　of　the　inflictor　of　the　death…punishment　＇by　those　not　legally　qualified　to　do　so＇　may　be　compared　to　hewing　on　behalf　of　a　master　carpenter；　and　people　who　＇attempt　to＇　hew　instead　of　a　master　carpenter　mostly　cut　their　hands。